Integrating digital advertising with cable tv network and broadcast advertising

ABSTRACT

A programmable and universal video serving platform enabling brand safe digital ads to be inserted into linear television cable and broadcast programming feeds. A linear programming feed includes a cue message that indicates a spot for ad insertion into the programming feed. Detection of the cue message triggers the generation of a VAST protocol ad request from the video serving platform to a digital ad server, the request including programmable fields that are configured to obtain data to generate standard and custom VAST tag information, including audience impression information and distribution platform information as needed. The digital ad server delivers a VAST response back to the video serving platform identifying a digital ad for insertion, and the video serving platform enables playout of the selected digital ad during the designated insertion spot into the programming feed. This process can be implemented for national cable and broadcast network advertising such that VAST-driven ads can be placed to run on the entire footprint of the cable or broadcast network, or just in a particular geographic market.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates in general to advertising for linear video programming, and more particularly, to the selection and insertion of digital advertising content into linear cable television programming.

BACKGROUND

A significant portion of television viewing is linear programming on cable networks (e.g., ESPN, TNT, CNBC). These networks are carried by multichannel video programming distributors (“MVPDs”), which are services that provide multiple television channels to customers through a set top box (“STB”) installed at the subscriber's location. Examples of MVPDs include Charter, Comcast, Altice, Cox and others. Linear programming consists of a continuous audio/video feed for the duration of a cable network program or program segment.

The cable networks identify within each linear programming stream available time slots (“avails”) for insertion of advertising content (“ads”) locally by an MVPD. In a typical scenario, approximately 15 minutes per hour of advertising are filled from national advertising campaigns which run throughout the entire country on that cable network. Another 2-3 minutes per hour are filled with local advertising content, either by splicing the ad content into the programming stream or by stopping and starting the programming stream allowing for local ad insertion gear to fill the time with commercials.

Traditionally, linear ad insertion platforms do not communicate with digital advertising platforms. The standards for communication are distinct to each and do not cross connect. Traditional ad insertion utilizes fixed schedules by network and local avail opportunity for ad playout. Traditional linear ad insertion platforms do not reference or track performance based on impressions sought or delivered nor do they provide any additional dynamic targeting parameters (traditional platforms may provide sub-zone capabilities for hard-wired sub designated market area (“DMA”) targeting ability). Typically, 80% of all revenues run on the “top” 20 to 25 cable networks. However, when over-night inventory is accounted for, the sell-thru percentage on the top 20 to 25 cable networks is significantly reduced, meaning that there is a substantial amount of “unsold” avails and substantial incremental opportunities for targeted audience-centric marketing.

Thus, the growth of traditional cable television advertising has been flat as advertisers have moved their resources to take advantage of the growing consumer demand for digital media, along with the ease of placing digital ads on websites through digital ad exchanges and through programmatic platforms onto desktops, laptops, and mobile devices. Almost any digital ad server can place an ad on any platform based on data to target the right consumer. In addition, digital technology enables the ability to use data to hyper target the right audience in filling advertising avails. This ability to hyper-target the right “audience” on any digital media property without a preset schedule and only paying for the actual impressions or impression counts, which are accurate to industry standard acceptance, and thus maximizing ad spending, is why digital advertising revenues have grown exponentially, along with the increase in digital video consumption.

For television advertising placement to work as effectively and efficiently, the MVPDs and their advertising partners must address legacy standards and technology.

The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (“SCTE”) has promulgated a relevant standard, SCTE 35, for defining a “cue message” to specify how to fill the avails in the programming television stream, entitled Digital Program Insertion Cueing Message for Cable (2016). SCTE 35 is the core signaling standard for advertising and distribution control of content for content providers and content distributors, and thus, SCTE 35 cue signals are incorporated into the programming feed and used to identify advertising breaks and programming content. In addition, virtually all content providers regularly publish their programming schedules, and more importantly for advertising purposes, the commercial break structures for programs, which may be used to create corresponding linear television schedules.

For online digital advertising, the Interactive Advertising Bureau has set a standard specification for communications between digital ad servers and digital video players called the Video Ad Serving Template (“VAST”). Thus, digital ads served according to the VAST protocol can be played by any digital video player.

However, since MVPDs may utilize different platforms of hardware and software for distribution of the program content, in general they do not utilize the infrastructure required for generating or processing VAST ad calls. In that case, a VAST tag must be specially configured and integrated in the ad insertion infrastructure to allow distribution on a particular distribution platform. The differences in distribution platforms, evidenced by use of different operating systems and set top boxes, presents a measure of difficulty for inserting ads for different MVPDs. Therefore, it would be desirable for an online digital ad serving network to be able to use standard digital ad insertion workflows to access the MVPD's television inventory. Having the capability to serve ads universally onto a variety of different television distribution platforms would enable digital ad serving exchanges to be applied to the ad avails in linear programming of cable TV networks, as well as to over-the-top (“OTT”) platforms such as Hulu, Netflix and SlingTV, and privately-managed IPTV networks, without having a preset schedule of breaks. This would enable more avails in linear TV programming to be bought, sold, and measured, and combined with the ability of data processing to utilize audiences as the target and ad impressions as the currency, such an improvement would effectively integrate the linear and digital video advertising ecosystems. This capability would also increase the potential revenues for addressable advertising, namely, sending an individual ad to an individual set top box based on audience targeting data.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a first embodiment of a system for inserting ad content into a linear programming stream.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a second embodiment of a system for inserting ad content into a linear programming stream.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a process for inserting ad content.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating another process for inserting ad content.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a third embodiment of a system for inserting ad content into a linear programming stream.

FIG. 6A is a flow chart illustrating a process for preparing an inventory of digital ads.

FIG. 6B is a flow chart illustrating a process for preparing a digital ad on the fly.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating a process for counting impressions to generate billings.

FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of an architecture for local ad insertion.

FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of a modified architecture on the network side, for national ad insertion.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating an ad selection process on the network side.

FIG. 11 is a schematic representation of a modified architecture on the distribution side, for national ad insertion.

FIG. 12 is a schematic representation of an alternative modified architecture on the distribution side, for national ad insertion.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart illustrating one scenario for an ad selection process on the distribution side.

FIG. 14 is a flow chart illustrating an alternative scenario for an ad selection process on the distribution side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a simple schematic representation of a system 100 for inserting digital video advertisements (“ads”) into available spots (“avails”) that are designated for content insertion in a linear cable television programming stream. A linear programming stream is one that is continuously broadcast from start to finish of the program, such as regular episodes of a television series or a news broadcast, or a live event such as a sports broadcast. Many if not most avails in linear programming or high-profile linear programming (such as sports events or special events) are filled by national advertising campaigns, but typically avails are made available for local cable providers to insert local advertising at their head end.

The linear programming stream 111 originates from a source receiver or server 110, typically a multi-channel video programming distributor (“MVPD”), and is provided as an input to a video serving platform 130. The video serving platform 130 detects a message, called a “cue” herein, that is embedded within the linear programming stream 111 and which identifies a local ad insertion break that is coming up in the linear programming stream. In some embodiments, the cue may be called a cue message, or a cue tone, or a tag, but in any event the cue is an indicator that signals to video distributors, such as cable television head-ends, that an avail is coming, and providing details of the avail.

Upon detecting the message identifying an avail, the video serving platform 130 requests encoded (CALM compliant) digital video content to insert into the avail. The request includes the location of the avail in the programming stream, usually the time that the avail will start and end, or the start time and the duration. In one embodiment, the video serving platform 130 includes a first video server 131 that includes a configuration as an ad splicer to insert or splice the digital content into the linear programming stream 111 at the designated avail, as well as internal resources 132, such as one or more additional servers, configured to store digital content, to serve digital content, and to make decisions about appropriate digital content to insert into avails.

There may also be external resources 133 to provide various of these functions. For example, an estimate regarding the number of televisions tuned to a particular program or channel during the ad presentation is useful and desirable as a criteria for selecting the appropriate digital ad content to insert into the avail, and such viewer information may be provided by a third party audience measurement service or via the MVPD's own media management platform including the MVPD's aggregation of tuning (viewing) information from set top boxes or servers in its distribution network. Advantageously, actual viewing information is available after the ad has been inserted, and the third-party service or the MVPD media management platform can provide information that confirms an actual count of impressions served for a particular ad insert for billing purposes. As another example, the ad decisioning network may be external to the video serving platform 130.

The result of seamlessly generating a VAST request for digital content from a linear programming stream is that online digital ad servers, such as Google Ad Manager, Freewheel, Cadent/Blackarrow, Atlas (Amazon), AppNexus, OpenX and others, can now serve a digital ad into traditional TV distribution platforms without replacing set top boxes or adding firmware.

It is noted that the term “video serving platform” is used in the embodiment of FIG. 1 and is intended to define an integrated platform, comprised of multiple components including a video server and/or an ad splicer, that can perform all the steps required for ad insertion within the integrated video serving platform, including detection of a cue message in the linear programming stream, the generation of an ad request for digital content incorporating information from the cue, the preparation of a VAST response to the ad request, and the serving of digital content identified in the response into the linear programming feed. However, the term “video server” is also used in this description and could be used interchangeably with video serving platform, but more typically will describe a server with less than all of the ad serving features integrated into a single device or related group of devices, but acts as the controller or manager of ad insertion operations. The term “ad splicer” is also used and also refers to a server, but more typically will have and provide more limited features than a video server or a video serving platform.

It should be noted that while specific hardware configurations may be located on the premises of the network and on the premises of the MVPD, the evolution of cloud-based technologies suggests that some or all of the features described herein may be implemented in whole or in part with cloud-based solutions.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a more detailed embodiment of a digital ad insertion system 200 is illustrated. In this system 200, a content source 210 provides one or more linear programming streams 211, which in one embodiment are IP multicasts formatted in accord with SCTE 35. A content distributor 220 is the destination of the linear programming feed, once it has been modified to include an inserted ad as feed 221. The content source 210 and the content distributor 220 may be part of the same multi-channel video programming distributor (“MVPD”) 215 or they may be separate MVPDs. Examples of MVPDs can include common subscription television networks available via cable or satellite, such as Comcast, AT&T, Cox, Charter, CenturyLink and others.

Digital ad insertion into the linear programming stream is performed by an ad splicer as part of the video server 230 and decision making for digital ad insertion is performed by an ad manager 240. The video server 230 and the ad manager 240 are typically separate computing units providing multiple functions, but may be integrated together in a single video ad server platform, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

The video server 230 is also in communication with other resources 250, 260 that facilitate decision making with regard to ad targeting and ad selection. For example, the resources 250 can include a content delivery network 251, a file server 252, and a performance database 253, and each of these resource components may be part of an integrated video serving platform with the video server. The content delivery network 251 is dedicated to transmitting requested digital ad content to the video server 230 for insertion into the linear programming stream in accordance with the ad request. The file server 252 stores previously encoded digital ads that are available for selection and insertion as well as post-insertion verification data collected periodically. The database 253 gathers and stores data from all the processes, from which performance reporting and invoicing for executed advertising campaigns can be generated, for example.

All of the components described herein may be implemented using conventional computer-based servers, programmed with instruction sets to realize the various features.

In one embodiment, the video server 230 includes programming features that are useful in constructing an ad request, in particular, by providing a configurable data field in the VAST request that can be used to pass ad targeting parameters and other important information. Programmable fields in the VAST request may include (i) specification of ad rules, i.e., whether to follow the VAST workflow or a different ad rules workflow; (ii) identifying the content source (like video on demand “VOD”); (iii) listing the specific video identifier (such as a specific VOD asset; for example, someone wants to advertise on all John Wayne movies); (iv) including key-values (such as: daypart ads, DMA, zip code, genre, age, gender, income, etc.); (v) identifying fall-back ad data—if the primary ad is not available, the ADS can send multiple responses based on priority); and (vi) providing instructions to handle any issues that arise under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (“COPPA”); to name just a few.

Ad splicers and ad insertion servers are generally well known, such as those made by Arris, RGB, Imagine, SeaChange, Culloma Technologies Ltd., Digital Adware, TelVue, and others.

For example, any video player can seamlessly play digital ad content if instructed by a properly constructed VAST response to an ad request. Thus, the process starts with the ad request, which is triggered by including a “cue” in the linear programming stream, such as a SCTE 35 cue message. The cue signals that an avail is coming up within the linear programming stream, and passes parameters for inserting content into the avail, such as the start and end time, or the start time and the duration. The relevant standard for constructing a cue message for a linear programming stream can be found in SCTE 35 (see https://www.scte.org/SCTEDocs/Standards/SCTE%2035%202017.pdf), incorporated herein by reference.

Once the cue message is detected by the video server 230, an ad request is generated and sent to the ad manager 240 for decision making with regard to selection of digital content for insertion. The ad request is constructed as a data packet with a number of required and optional fields for passing parameters to the ad manager, such as program identification, program type, avail start time, and avail stop time. In one embodiment, the data packet can be constructed to include one or more configurable data fields that can be filled by the video server 230. For example, the video server can obtain estimates related to viewing audience for the avail in terms of number of impressions, demographics, psychographics, consumer purchaser information, etc., from a third-party audience measurement service 260, and provide those estimates to the ad manager 240 as a key parameter for ad targeting.

Once the ad request is received by the ad manager 240, the ad manager identifies a digital ad that meets the parameters of the request, then prepares a VAST response and sends the response back to the video server 230 for handling the insertion. The relevant standard for constructing a VAST response be found on the Interactive Advertising Bureau website (see https://www.iab.com/guidelines/digital-video-ad-serving-template-vast/), incorporated herein by reference. For instance, the cue message for a specific ad break (time/duration and program) on a specific network (like HGTV) will be read by the video server 230, then associated servers 250 will be polled and the associated data included in the VAST request. The video server 230 and/or video server resources 250 will then query other data bases as appropriate, such as the viewer measurement server 260, to acquire the number of STB's tuned to this network as this time, and other databases as possible and relevant to further define the targets for the break and to complete preparation of the VAST request.

The video server 230 will, as needed, retrieve the identified digital ad from storage and send it to its ad splicer component, which will directly insert the file into the linear programming stream at the designated ad insertion point.

In one embodiment, the ad manager 240 is a local instance of Google Ad Manager, but this decisioning unit could be implemented using technology from Cadent, Freewheel, or other ad decisioning platforms. An example of how to how to prepare a master video tag with Google Ad Manager for retrieving video ads in provided at the Google Ad Manager Help (see https://support.google.com/admanager/answer/1068325?h1=en). An example of in-stream ad insertion is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,738,787 entitled Ad Server Integration, which is incorporated herein in its entirety. Other embodiments can include other digital ad servers.

Data regarding audience measurement of actual viewing and viewer demographics is obtained from a third-party audience measurement service 260 such as Nielsen, ComScore, or other companies that aggregate subscriber tuning (viewing) data, or even the MVPD itself, which may have the ability to aggregate tuning data from its set top boxes or servers. For example, a critical question for an advertising campaigns is how many viewers are tuned to (watching) a particular program at a particular time. The server of the measurement system can provide an estimate of the number of ad impressions expected to be delivered by an ad insert prior to the ad selection decision. The audience measurement system can also identify the type of program (available from published schedules) and when combined with other audience data sets, include additional viewer demographic information such as age, gender, geographic location, and psychographics, or even what kinds of products that consumer purchases in stores. The ad targeting criteria can then be established and placed into the configurable data field of the ad request using well known methods.

The audience measurement service or the MVPD that collects tuning data may also provide an actual count of impressions delivered after the ad insertion for purposes of reconciling with the forecasted impression load.

Referring to FIG. 3, a process 300 for inserting ads in video streams is illustrated. In step 302, a cue message is detected in the video stream received at the video server/ad splicer. The cue message is formed in accord with SCTE 35 and provides information regarding the location of the ad spot(s) in the video stream, such as the time point the ad spot starts in the video stream and the duration, although different providers may generate different formats for the cue message. For example, an SCTE 35 cue message is usually a binary message encoded in Base64, and consists of a data packet with a number of fields that are used to describe attributes of the cue message. Although process 300 addresses a single cue message, in reality, a large number of cue messages are received in multiple programming feeds from multiple content providers.

In step 304, after detecting a cue message, the video server sends a query to obtain audience information for ad targeting, for example, an estimate of how many viewers are tuned to the channel for this programming feed at the requested time for ad insertion. Such information may be available from a third-party service. For example, some media measurement companies and MVPDs themselves may have an automated STB measurement/tracking solution that knows what every set top box in its network is tuned to and can therefore estimate how many ad impressions can be delivered at a particular time for a particular program. Other providers have additional useful information regarding customer viewing or purchasing habits, such as Experian, Nielsen Data Plus Math, Samba TV, iSpot.TV and others.

In step 306, a VAST request is generated to include a configurable data field. The VAST request is an XML data structure that indicates to the ad serving network when the ad avails will occur in the video stream and the duration of the avails. The demographic information or any ad targeting information can be added to the configurable data field to provide ad targeting criteria. The programmers' video commercial format is typically known from a periodic schedule distributed by the various content providers.

In step 308, the VAST request is sent to an ad manager for ad decisioning. For example, Google Ad Manager provides a variety of features for managing ad insertion, and may be implemented in a customized, local instance. In step 310, the ad manager selects or identifies an ad that meets the targeting criteria. The ad must be approved to play over the MVPD's network, and typically the video file has been prepped for playout on the MVPD's network, to include compliance with various advertising regulations and guidelines, including CALM compliance.

In step 312, the ad manager generates a VAST response to the VAST request, which describes the ad that should be played. The selected ad may be identified by providing a link to the ad location, or by actually retrieving the ad from local storage on the video server 230 or external resource 250. In one embodiment, the selected ad is identified by the ad manager in step 314 and the VAST response is delivered to the video server 230 in step 316. In another embodiment, the selected, pre-approved ad is retrieved by the video serving platform 130 after receiving the VAST response that identifies the (out of local network) location of the selected ad. The ad is then retrieved, encoded, distributed and stored in the Media Serving Platform for playout upon next request.

In step 318, the ad splicer inserts the selected ad into the video stream. Finally, in step 320, the modified video stream with inserted ad is transmitted to the various MVPD networks that are configured to display that video format. Thus, process 300 allows digital ad content to be inserted into any type or format of digital video stream, from any content source to any content distributor, whether cable TV, satellite TV, IPTV, or OTT.

Another process 400 for inserting ads is illustrated in FIG. 4, with reference to the system 200 of FIG. 2. In step 402, the cue message in the linear programming stream is detected by the ad splicer/video server 230, and the cue message is used to generate a VAST request having configurable data, which is then sent to the ad manager 240. In step 404, the ad manager 240 sends a VAST response back to the video server 230. The response includes ad targeting based on audience viewer information, and the response is also based on customer orders and availability of content, e.g., from storage in the CDN server 251. The video server 230 is in constant sync with the CDN server 251 so as to have current knowledge of the ad availability.

In step 406, the estimate of audience impressions, included in the VAST response, is uploaded to the ad manager 240. In step 408, the ad manager registers all successes and failure of ad insertion at the video server 230. Successful impressions are counted toward ad campaign fulfilment.

In step 410, the video server 230 periodically creates a verification file for each of the active ad insertion networks, e.g., daily. The verification files are collected into the file server 252.

In step 412, viewer measurement data is collected from the set-top-box (“STB”) of each and every customer, and this information is sent to the file server 252. In step 414, the viewer measurement data and the verification files are sent to the database 253 and performance reporting is generated. The actual verification and reporting of impressions served may come from a third-party audience measurement service. For example, the number of STBs tuned to the inserted ad represents the true impression count.

Finally, in step 416, billing for ad insertion is performed based on campaign completion of required impressions. Relevant data is collected into the database 253 from the ad manager 240, the resources 250, and the viewer measurement server 260, and a final count of impressions served may be obtained from a third-party measurement service.

An alternative embodiment showing system 500 is illustrated in FIG. 5. In this embodiment, a number of different content sources 510 a through 510 n provide programming feeds for MVPD 514. The MVPD distributes its programming feeds to the head ends 520 a through 520 n of local cable providers, which in turn send their programming feeds to individual STBs 571-578, for example.

Incorporated within each headend 520 a through 520 n of the local cable providers are video serving units 530 a through 530 n, respectively. Further, resources 550 are available to each headend to provide the services and features found in the ad manager, CDN, file server, database, and viewer measurement server, as described above. The video serving units 520 a-n are configured to detect a cue message in the respective linear programming feed, and to receive a VAST request incorporating ad insertion location from the cue message and audience-based ad targeting information from the resources. A VAST response is then generated to fill avails as described above.

As noted above, digital ad serving technology has provided the ability to hyper-target the right audience in filling digital advertising requests by providing much more detailed targeting criteria. For example, in addition to providing knowledge of the basic demographics, such as gender, age income, location, education, etc., digital technology can provide many other types of consumer preference data, including behavioral data such as past purchasing history or browsing history; dayparting data, i.e., the particular time(s) of the day that the consumer is active; designated market area (DMA); and other forms of data mining that may be helpful in designing ad targeting criteria.

The universal nature of the video serving platform described herein enables it to work in a multi-cast environment (one video feed to many STB's) or a uni-cast environment (one video feed to one STB). Because digital technology currently allows STBs to be individually addressed, there is an opportunity in the unicast MVPD environment to send an individual ad to an individual STB that is “requesting” the ad, based on hyper-targeting audience criteria. This opportunity benefits from the viewer's interaction with various data sources that help to define the individuality of the viewer from a marketing perspective, thereby enhancing the ability to hyper-target the individual viewer. Thus, addressable advertising provides another opportunity for potential advertising revenues.

The ads to be inserted are (obviously) produced ahead of time by advertisers, provided to the ad serving network and stored for future use. A process 600 for receiving and storing the ads is illustrated in FIG. 6A. In step 602, ad files are received into the ad serving network, each file is encoded in step 604 and stored in the file server in step 606 and also stored to a master video file server in step 607 for future advertising needs. Files are retrieved in step 608. In step 610, the files are transcoded to the format of one or multiple specified content distributors. For example, the ad file may be converted from an MPEG2 source (commonly used in broadcast TV) to H.264 (MPEG4) video and AAC audio (common for streaming content). In step 612, the transcoded files are stored in the file server and available for selection and, in step 614, the transcoded files are sent to the local storage on the Media Serving Platform and available for ad insertion.

In one embodiment, a single ad spot may be transcoded into a number of different video formats such that the same ad (stored in different formats) can be provided to different content distribution networks.

Prior to storing ads for future use, each ad is reviewed for compliance with relevant regulations and guidelines. For example, each ad is reviewed to determine whether it contains salacious material, such as references to porn, guns, drugs, etc. Further, the video quality is reviewed, as well as any competitive risk posed by the ad. In addition, all ads must comply with the Commercial Advertising Loudness Mitigation (“CALM”) provisions regarding audio volume.

Once ads are prepared, they may be sent to the video server or to a video cache or CDN. Low priority ads, overflow ads, and potential ads may be stored in a content distribution network coupled to the video server, and upon the first request for an ad by the ad decisioning server, the ad is pushed to the edge video server.

Ads may also be aggregated by a supply side platform (“SSP”), such as Adx, Freewheel, or Placemedia, that talks to the ad decisioning network. The SSP can aggregate ad inventory from any of the major MVPDs, such as Comcast, Charter, Altice, Cox, and others. The SSP can also receive instructions as to what ad inventory is available, for which networks, and for what time slots (excluding prime time and the top 20-25 networks). Finally, the SSP can talk to a demand side platform (“DSP”), such as Trade Desk, AppNexus, Simplifi, Tube Mogul, and others, to engage is bidding for ad slots between the SSP and the DSP.

An alternative process 650 is illustrated in FIG. 6B. In step 652, an ad request is received at the ad serving network. In step 654, a suitable ad is identified, and in step 656, the video format of the identified ad is determined. If, in step 658, the video format of the identified ad is the same as the video format of the video stream that requested the ad, then in step 660, the ad is delivered. If the video format of the identified ad is not the same as the source video format in step 658, then the ad is transcoded on the fly in step 662 and then delivered in step 660. Typically, the location of the ad break in the digital stream is known at least a few seconds ahead of time, either in timing of the cue or, in the case of a “splice immediate” value in the cue message, with a configured buffer, in effect giving more time to complete the processes, thereby permitting a seemingly “live, real-time” ad insertion.

While the processes described above present a time-based ad insertion solution, it is also possible to have an event-based solution such as a live sporting event, and the cue message will include information to define the event and the ad insertion points.

Turning now to FIG. 7, a process 700 for verifying and counting the number of impressions actually delivered is illustrated. In step 702, the ad serving network counts and registers all successful and unsuccessful ad inserts based on the responses from the video server. In one preferred mode, all successful impressions are counted towards a particular advertising campaign fulfillment. In step 704, verification files are created and periodically aggregated (e.g., daily) for each of the active ad insertion networks. The verification files contain information describing which ads were inserted into which programs, at what times. The verification files are stored in the file server in step 706.

In step 708, actual tuning (viewership) data related to the ad inserts is obtained, usually from a third-party service that measures actual viewing on STBs, for example. The viewership data indicates how many devices are tuned to a particular program, and for how long. This data provides a count of impressions delivered, and can also provide the demographic characteristics of the viewers. In step 710, the measured tuning (viewership) data is stored in the file server.

As an alternative, the verification files may be shared with the third-party service, which then obtains and stores the relevant audience measurement data and returns the data to the ad serving network.

In step 712, the verification files and the viewer measurement data are gathered into a common database, and may be used to generate performance reports in step 714. For example, the combination of the verification data and the viewer measurement data provides a true count of the impressions actually delivered.

Finally, in step 716, billing to advertisers is generated based on the true count of impressions actually delivered for a particular ad campaign.

The foregoing concepts can also be applied on the network side to reallocate the national ad placements. For example, FIG. 8 is a simplified representation of both the network and distribution sides of a system 800 for delivering linear cable television programming to customers with digital ad insertion as described previously. A cable network 801 has an uplink system 802 including a parabolic dish pointed toward a specific satellite dish 899 in earth orbit. The cable network 801 generates programming feeds and transmits the programming feeds as digital signals at a specified frequency range via the uplink system 802, which are received by a transponder 898 affixed aboard the satellite 899 tuned to the specified frequency range. The received signals are then translated to a different frequency band (in order to avoid interference with the uplinked signal) and retransmitted back to an Earth station.

The translated signal is collected at MVPD 841 by a downlink system 842 having a parabolic dish and a downconverter that gathers the signals, amplifies the signals as necessary, filters the block of frequencies in which the signals are transmitted, and converts the signals to a lower frequency range, for example, in the L-band range, to reconstruct the programming feed.

The MVPD 841 distributes the programming feed to a local headend 850 that includes a video serving platform 852 as either an internal component (as shown) or an external component. The video serving platform 852 detects the SCTE 35 cue message that has been embedded into the programming feed as described above, and utilizes internal and external resources 856 as necessary to select an ad insertion for local spot cable, which is inserted by a video insertion device 853, such as an ad splicer, into the programming stream at the appropriate time, as the programming stream is delivered to STB 854.

We can apply these same principles on the network side to reallocate and select national ads. In general, the use of satellite services for cable and broadcast transmissions in the United States is regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and uplink transmissions are typically broadcast in the C-band (4-8 GHz) or Ku-band (12-18 GHz) or both. The network operator (cable or broadcast) constructs the programming feed as a transport stream, namely, a series of MPEG-2 compliant digital multiplex bitstreams, in accord with ANSI/SCTE 57 entitled System Information for Satellite Distribution for Digital Television for Cable and MMDS.

For example, programming feeds prepared for uplink transmission from broadcasters and cable networks are generally constructed in the same manner, namely, as standardized digital data transport streams having multiple data packets that are multiplexed together for transmission to a specified satellite, either in real-time (or near real-time), or at a later-scheduled time. As described in SCTE 57, a particular data transport stream is identified by its Packet Identifier (“PID”), and the two main constituent streams of interest here are the Network PID and the Program Map Table PID, which are multiplexed together in the uplinked stream. The Network PID includes at least network information, network text, virtual channel information and system time, and the Program Map Table PID includes at least program information and program name. Thus, a typical multiplexed stream will include sequences of data packets that comprise Network PID streams and Program Map Table PID streams.

In general, each data packet has 188 bytes, with 4 bytes dedicated to a header, and 184 bytes allocated to the payload. The System Information Standard (SCTE 57) describes a number of tables and messages that can be delivered in transport packets that are identified by either the Network PID or the Program Map Table PID. Further, the standard provides extensibility through the use of (i) reserved fields and (ii) user private descriptors.

While the reserved fields are generally not available for assignment by the user, these reserved fields may be available for future use and could be utilized for encoding instructions to trigger action to obtain content for insertion as part of a national ad campaigns. However, the private descriptor fields are currently available to the user for assignment and may be placed throughout the messages described in the standard. For example, SCTE 35 cue messages are typically placed within a descriptor field of the Program Map Table PID, and the corresponding program information is carried in the Network PID and the Program Map Table PID when the transport stream is generated on the network side.

For example, the network prepares a manifest that includes programming information, including video content, and marketing information, and based on the applicable business rules for the broadcast network or cable network operator, a playlist is created and stored on the network CDN. At the scheduled time, the playlist is called and sent to the uplink system for distribution to the satellite then the MVPD. Typically, the playlist is prepared by the network in accord with the SMPTE BXF schema standard, which describes the network data to be packed into data packets of the Network PID and programming data to be packed into data packets of the Program Map Table PID.

FIG. 9 illustrates one scenario for a system 900 to deploy technology on the network side of system 800 (in FIG. 8) in order to specify ad insertions. In this scenario, the network 901 includes a scheduling server 910 that is configured to receive instructions that enable generating a program schedule including ad avails, and creating a program queue 912 stored on a network CDN that includes program content (or a link to the content) as well as an SCTE 35 cue message. The network program schedule is typically prepared 12-24 hours ahead of the playout schedule, and therefore there is a delay element 914 attached to the program queue 912 that delays providing the scheduled programming feed until the scheduled time, when the feed is provided to the uplink system 902 for transmission to the satellite.

In this embodiment, an ad selection device 920 is incorporated within the network 901, which may be part of the server 910 as shown, or may be an independent element located anywhere on the network side before the uplink system 902 on the network side. The ad selection device 920 is informed of the schedule, and in particular the ad avails allocated both for national ads and local ads in the programming stream. Based on the avails, the ad selection device 920 can select ads to fill the avails for either a national ad campaign or a local ad campaign.

The ad selection process on the network side may be similar to the VAST request and response process described above. For example, the ad selection device 920 may be automatically triggered when the manifest or playlist in constructed to prepare a VAST request with configurable fields that include at least program information, impression estimates and audience descriptors, and receives a VAST response. In this scenario, the VAST request/response process may or may not be real-time insertion process, as determined by each network according to its risk comfort level with manipulating the program manifest with more timely ad calls.

Alternatively, the VAST request for a national ad selection and insertion process may be triggered by incorporating an indicator in the SCTE 35 cue message, or by incorporating an indicator into another message constructed in a private descriptor field that is defined in the Network PID or the Program Map Table PID. For example, a selected bit in the header could be defined as a flag bit, and if the flag is set, a national ad selection and insertion process is called, and if the flag is not set, a local ad selection and insertion process is called. As described above, the ad selection device 920 may be located with the server 910. In the alternative scenario, the ad selection device 920 may be located anywhere on the network side before the uplink system 902, and the flag bit in a message constructed by the server 910 is detected by the ad selection device and triggers the appropriate ad insertion process.

The VAST request could be handled in several different ways, for example, by sending the request to an optional ad server 922, which then utilizes the resources of a supply side platform (SSP) 924 or a private marketplace (PMP) 926 to help prepare a VAST response to fill the avails, or the VAST request may be sent directly to either the SSP or the PMP for handling.

The network 901 can pull the ad content down from a specified URL that is defined in the VAST response and either process it for immediate playout, or store the URL link for use at the scheduled time. The PMP 926 refers to a real-time bidding process, which is an invitation-only, online auction environment for digital and programmatic advertising that leverages a publisher's ad inventory, typically to a select group of advertisers. Ad inventory is bought and sold at an impression level and is the product of a one-on-one deal between the publisher and the buyer, facilitation through the PMP 926. This allows the publishers to monetize their ad inventory more efficiently, for example, by setting rules regarding who can purchase impressions, thus facilitating a brand-safe environment. A demand side platform (DSP) serves as the ad buying platform and plugs directly into the publisher's ad inventory source, such as the SSP 924, where terms of a particular transaction may be pre-negotiated between the buyer and seller.

Thus, for a national cable network or broadcast network, the selected ad spot would run across the entire footprint of the national cable network or broadcast network, whereas for a local broadcast entity, the selected ad spot would still run across the entire footprint, but on a regionalized basis.

FIG. 10 illustrates one example of a process 1000 for implementing ad selection on the network side. In step 1002, the network server receives and stores the playlist including program content. In step 1004, the server identifies avails for national ads. Once the ad avails are identified, filling the ad avails using a VAST request/response may occur automatically, or may be triggered by detection of a defined signal, such as the flag bit described above. In step 1005, if the ad trigger is detected, then in step 1006, the server prepares and sends a VAST request to the ad fulfillment network, whether based on an ad server, an SSP, or a PMP. The VAST request is prepared to include program information, impression estimates, and audience descriptors that are provided in the Network PID and/or the Program Map Table PID. If the VAST request is generated automatically, the ad selection/insertion process does not include decision step 1005, but proceeds directly to step 1006.

The VAST request is processed to generate and return a VAST response, which is received by the network server in step 1008, and includes either the ad content or a link to the ad content. In step 1010, the ad content (or its link) are stored with the program content in the program queue. Finally, at step 1012, the programming feed including identified program content and ad content is uploaded to the satellite for playout distribution.

If the ad trigger is not detected in step 1005, then an underlying ad will be selected in step 1007 and sent to the playout feed in step 1012.

FIG. 11 is a simplified representation of a system 1100 on the distribution side for delivering linear cable television programming to customers with digital ad insertion as described above. The downlink system 1142 receives programming streams from the satellite for MVPD 1141. The MVPD 1141 distributes the programming feed to local headend 1150 that includes a video serving platform 1152. The video serving platform 1152 is configured to detect a message in the programming feed and act upon that message, as will be further described.

For example, the message may configured so as to indicate that a national ad is triggered and should be selected using resources 1162 (such as SSP or PMP) and played out for the designated ad avail, or alternatively, the message may configured so as to indicate that a local ad is triggered and should be selected using resources 1162 and played out for the designated ad avail. In one scenario, the message is an SCTE 35 cue message that has been provided with a flag in one of the configurable fields. If the flag is set, a national ad is selected. If the flag is not set, a local ad is selected. In a different scenario, if the SCTE 35 message is detected, with instructions to select a local ad insertion, then a local ad process will run. If the SCTE 35 message is detected with instructions to select a national ad insertion, then a national ad process will run. If the SCTE 35 message does not include instructions for selecting a local ad insertion or a local ad insertion, then a pre-approved underlying ad will be played out. These different scenarios are described below with reference to FIGS. 13-14.

Once the message in the programming feed has been interpreted by the video serving platform 1152, the selected ad is inserted by video insertion device 1153 into the programming stream at the appropriate time, as the programming stream is delivered to STB 1154.

FIG. 12 illustrates a variation in which the detection module 1152 in the local headend 1150 is configured to identify a national ad insertion, but instructions included in the cue message identify different versions of the national ad which have been created for playout in different designated marketing areas (DMAs) or even in smaller defined areas within a specified DMA, or sub-DMAs such as an ad zone (usually defined as subscribers connected to a specific headend). Thus, the detection module 1152 detects from the cue message that a first ad version is targeted to a first DMA 1171, and instructs the ad splicer 1153 to insert the first ad version into the programming feed for all the STBs within the first DMA. Similarly, the detection module 1152 detects from the cue message that a second ad version is targeted to a second DMA 1172, and instructs the ad splicer 1153 to insert the second ad version into the programming feed for all the STBs within the second DMA; and so on for multiple DMAs.

In a further variation, as noted above, STBs are capable of being individually addressed. Thus, so long as the MVPD is capable of sending a specific ad to a specific STB, then the local ad can be so directed based on hyper-targeting audience criteria.

Advantageously, one of more additional layers of audience targeting may be added to the instructions to further narrow and better tailor the targeting effort. For example, in addition to targeting a specified DMA or a sub-DMA, or ad zone, one or more demographic factors may be added to the targeting criteria and used to select particular STBs within a targeted DMA or sub-DMA or ad zone that exhibit those demographic factors. The demographic information may be obtained from internal network sources, such as actual viewing history of users from STB feedback, or Internet activity of users, or from external sources such as third-party vendors that collect and analyze such information.

Referring now to FIG. 13, a process 1300 for choosing between national ad selection and local ad selection is illustrated. In step 1302, the program feed is received at the local headend. In step 1304, the SCTE 35 cue message is detected in the program feed. In this scenario, however, the SCTE 35 cue message has been provided with a “flag,” i.e., a single bit that can be set or not. For example, if the flag is determined to be set in step 1306, then a national ad process is initiated to select an ad insert in step 1308. If the flag was not set in step 1306, then a local ad process is initiated to select an ad insert in step 1310.

FIG. 14 illustrates an alternative process 1350 for choosing between national ad selection and local ad selection. In step 1352, the program feed is received at the local headend. Step 1354 determines whether the SCTE 35 cue message has been detected in the program feed. If so, then beginning with step 1356, the cue message is analyzed to determine whether it includes a request for a local ad insertion, a request for a national ad insertion, or neither. In one example, a single flag bit may be included with the cue message to signify that the embedded data and instructions are intended for a request for either a local ad or a national ad, as described above. In other embodiments, other data fields in the Program Map Table PID or Network PID can be used to pass data and/or instructions that provide rules and criteria for determining what type of ad selection process to include within a particular program stream.

Thus, if it is determined in step 1356 that a local ad insert is requested by the instructions in the cue message, then the local ad insert process is run in step 1358. If not, then step 1360 determines whether a national ad insert is requested by the instructions in the cue message, and if so, then the national ad insert process is run in step 1362. If not, then an underlying ad that was previously identified and approved is played out in step 1364.

These alternative embodiments give the network the ability to target multiple criteria, such as demographics and geography together, in their ad playouts. Further, the use of network side ad selection and distribution side ad selection can work together to provide a national real-time VAST process and a local real-time VAST process. In addition, these alternative scenarios allow the network and MVPDs to easily reallocate ad inventory between the local ad spots and the national ad spots. For instance, the time allocated for local ad insertions could be increased during the political season when geo-targeting is important, and reduced during the national television ratings (sweeps) season.

Although system configurations illustrated herein are shown as fixed hardware systems on the network side or the distribution side, the various features could also be cloud-based, or a hybrid solution including cloud-based features.

The foregoing description has been presented for the purpose of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is intended that the scope not be limited by this detailed description, but by the claims and the equivalents to the claims appended hereto. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: preparing, by a video server, a linear program feed for a broadcast or cable network uplink configured for national distribution of the linear program feed, the linear program feed identifying at least one ad insertion break; generating, by the video server, a VAST request for a national ad to insert into the at least one ad insertion break, the VAST request including program information, impression estimates, and audience descriptors; sending, by the video server, the VAST request to an ad decisioning system; receiving, by the video server from the ad decisioning system, a VAST response identifying a first digital ad as the national ad on the basis of the program information, the impression estimates, and the audience descriptors; and adding to the linear program feed the identified first digital ad.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: prior to the step of generating a VAST request, detecting a trigger signal that indicates whether the identified first digital ad should be a national ad or a local ad.
 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: preparing a manifest for playout of at least one linear program feed; and preparing a message to be included in the linear program feed, the message including the trigger signal.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the message is an SCTE 35 cue message modified to include a flag as a trigger signal, the flag is set when the first digital ad should be a national ad and the flag is not set when the first digital ad should be a local ad.
 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the message is incorporated into a data packet having a flag as a trigger signal, the flag is set when the first digital ad should be a national ad and the flag is not set when the first digital ad should be a local ad.
 6. The method of claim 2, wherein the steps of the method are implemented at or before the broadcast or cable network uplink, or in a cloud network, or in a combination of steps distributed both at or before the broadcast or cable network uplink and in a cloud network.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adding to the linear program feed the identified first digital ad is performed by a first video server located at a broadcast or cable network site.
 8. A method, comprising: preparing, by a video server, a linear program feed for a broadcast or cable network uplink, the linear program feed identifying at least one ad insertion break; detecting a trigger signal that indicates whether the ad insertion break should be filled with a national ad, a local ad, or a previously selected underlying ad; generating, by the video server, a VAST request for an ad to insert into the at least one ad insertion break, the VAST request including the trigger signal, program information, impression estimates, and audience descriptors; sending, by the video server, the VAST request to an ad decisioning system; receiving, by the video server from the ad decisioning system, a VAST response identifying a first digital ad on the basis of the trigger signal, the program information, the impression estimates, and the audience descriptors; and adding to the linear program feed the identified first digital ad.
 9. A method, comprising: detecting, by a video server, a message in a linear program feed received from a multi-channel video programming distributor, the message indicating an ad insertion break in the linear program feed and including program information, impression estimates, and audience descriptors; determining, by the video server, whether a first flag is set in the message; generating, by the video server when the first flag is set, a VAST request for a national ad to place into the ad insertion break, the VAST request including the program information, the impression estimates, and the audience descriptors; generating, by the video server when the first flag is not set, a VAST request for a local ad to place into the ad insertion break, the VAST request including program information, impression estimates, and audience descriptors; receiving, by the video server from an ad decisioning system, a VAST response identifying a first digital ad on the basis of the program information, the impression estimates, and the audience descriptors; and adding to the program feed the identified first digital ad.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the video server is located at or before the broadcast or cable network uplink.
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the video server is accessible through a cloud network.
 12. A method, comprising: detecting, by a video server, a first message in a linear program feed received from a multi-channel video programming distributor, the first message indicating an ad insertion break in the linear program feed and including program information, impression estimates, and audience descriptors; detecting, by the video server, a second message in the linear program feed, the second message including a first flag as a trigger signal; generating, by the video server when the first flag is set, a VAST request for a national ad to place into the ad insertion break, the VAST request including the program information, the impression estimates, and the audience descriptors; generating, by the video server when the first flag is not set, a VAST request for a local ad to place into the ad insertion break, the VAST request including program information, impression estimates, and audience descriptors; receiving, by the video server from an ad decisioning system, a VAST response identifying a first digital ad on the basis of the program information, the impression estimates, and the audience descriptors; and adding to the program feed the identified first digital ad.
 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: preparing a manifest for playout of at least one linear program feed; and preparing the second message to be included in the at least one linear program feed, the second message including the trigger signal.
 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the first message is an SCTE 35 cue message, and the second message is incorporated into a data packet having a flag bit as a trigger signal, the flag bit is set when the first digital ad should be a national ad and the flag bit is not set when the first digital ad should be a local ad.
 15. A method, comprising: preparing, by a cable or broadcast network, streaming content for national distribution, the streaming content including a program feed having a plurality of ad avails; identifying a plurality of national advertisements for placement into each of the plurality of ad avails; generating a VAST request for a first digital advertisement, the VAST request including program information, impression estimates and audience descriptors related to the program feed; receiving, in response to the VAST request, a VAST response identifying the first digital advertisement selected using the program information, impression estimates and audience descriptors; modifying the program feed to replace at least one of the plurality of national advertisements with the first digital advertisement; and uplinking the transport stream with modified program feed to a satellite for national distribution.
 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: the generating step is responsive to a trigger signal encoded with the program feed.
 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: the trigger signal is a flag bit, the flag bit is set when the first digital advertisement should be nationally-targeted ad and the first flag bit is reset when the first digital advertisement should be locally-targeted ad. 